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UTSA Unmoved on Consolidation; TRSA Seeks Further Talks

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Uniform & Textile Service Association (UTSA) "lacks authority" to "delay" its Jan. 1 consolidation with the Textile Rental Services Association of America (TRSA), UTSA Chairman Jim Buik said Thursday in a letter to TRSA Chairman Michael Potack.
Buik's letter was in response to last month's TRSA resolution seeking a one-year extension so the two groups could resolve what TRSA called "major significant open issues," later described by Potack to include president/CEO selection, budget adoption, staffing and more. Buik chairs the combined Executive Committee, while Potack is vice chairman.
UTSA "cannot accept the suggestion to delay the consolidation for a year without seeking such approval from our members," Buik wrote. "Under our by-laws, this cannot be accomplished before January 1, 2006. Therefore, we have no choice but to proceed with the consolidation on the terms approved by our members."
UTSA asks that TRSA sign and return the necessary documents for filing by Dec. 28 if it wishes to proceed. "For our part, we will commit to work diligently with the TRSA Board members and officers to address and resolve all outstanding issues," Buik added.
On Friday, Potack wrote to Buik urging that the TRSA concerns be addressed "as soon as possible by a committee with intimate knowledge of the legal and operational issues of the two associations." TRSA recommended the committee be comprised of one staff person and one attorney representing each association.
"If the consolidation of our two organizations is to be successful, we need to develop a means of communicating and addressing significant issues in an efficient and productive manner," Potack wrote.
Potack reiterated that "(w)e believe that the two organizations should consolidate as soon as the material issues as outlined in our Board resolution of November 18, 2005, are properly addressed."

About the author

Bruce Beggs is editorial director of American Trade Magazines LLC, including American Coin-Op, American Drycleaner and American Laundry News. He was the editor of American Laundry News from November 1999 to May 2011. Beggs has worked as a newspaper reporter/editor and magazine editor since graduating from Kansas State University in 1986 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communications. He and his wife, Sandy, have two children.